Re-sculpting the Company B train in Zbrush Z8

[CompanyB]

Now that I have had all the practice with digitally sculpting the small 1/270 Space Ships in Zbrush, I thought I'd tackle our CompanyB civilian Train.  It's been looking a bit drab, and we've had it out of production for awhile.  Time for a digital refresh!


New model will be significantly cheaper to cast.  I think the wheels when I get to them will be cast as one whole section (left and right) with all the parts cast together.

Still need to add the tender, interior and a whole heap of detail.. but it seems to be coming along after a few hours of pushing around digital clay.

After this, I'll tackle the 38D for the WW2 guys 

Brent

[marianas_gamer]

Happy to hear this. Will the end price likely be cheaper?
LB

[FramFramson]

Looks fantastic.

Any chance of having some wiggle room in the parts to accommodate differing track widths?

[CompanyB]

The price should fall significantly.  It will also help if I make it somewhat hollow.  I'm adding a tender, but contemplating having that be an add-on and not cast onto the base model.  That way you have some options, and we can offer just the train engine, or one with a full tender and coal and wood fuel loads.

Also, we have a train crew, already sculpted by Artizan.  Should be a nice little set.

For the tracks, it's possible to accommodate different sizes.  What I could do is add a spacer on the bottom than can have varying widths, so the wheel section can be glued on whatever spacer you need for a specific gauge of track.

I'll work around that a little more when I get to the wheels

[marianas_gamer]

Excellent news on all fronts. Can we expect  new passenger cars as well?
LB

[CompanyB]

Can definitely look at a reworked passenger car with open top, and a few more cars for it.


-Brent

[FramFramson]

By open top, I assume you mean removable top and not actually unroofed?

[Michi]

Hi Brent, I'm just curious why you opted for an (obviously) American engine. Do you see the pulp/prohibition era market bigger than the potential for WW2? I mean (European including North African) WW2 theatres would hardly see American made railway stuff before the end of the war.

[carlos marighela]

Train spotters.

[YPU]

For the tracks, it's possible to accommodate different sizes.  What I could do is add a spacer on the bottom than can have varying widths, so the wheel section can be glued on whatever spacer you need for a specific gauge of track.

Now that is clever! 

[carlos marighela]

Which poses a question. I've had my eye on the dinky little Tatra draisine for my Czechs. What guage track do the wheels fit or is it adjustable likecthe choo-choos?

[CompanyB]

It's sort of designed off our previous one, and yeah...maybe suitable for more pulp stuff.  It's actually pretty economical now to do these, as CAD is all on me     and the printing price for extreme high res has fallen like a brick to %25 of what it was.  I also have a more European model started, with the wheel arches, and a different style smoke stack...but I used a different sculpting style technique in Zbrush which is more of a pain to do.  So i'd need a day or so to bring that one back to this state.  If I do this right I can use some the the same CAD and printed parts.  Casting is also cheaper now as well.  i originally was going to redo just the engine, but now it seems more reasonable to redo the entire Civilian lineup, with a passenger car and a cargo car. Maybe eventually doing that twin turreted train car.  For the Passenger car, I was thinking of having the roof come off, with seats can cargo areas inside.

On that note...more progress pics and I fiddle with details and the wheels.  I still have to figure out how the wheels will connect (one piece, rolling?) do the interior and adjust some details. This train also needs more rivets!

The Tatra uses the same Gauge as the train which is S scale.  I do however have our model on Shapeways, which can be ordered with separate wheel trucks.  That one can be adjusted to any Gauge.  I can make it available if interested.

[FramFramson]

These are S gauge by default? And there's a more European loco coming too?! Wow, you're me hero!

[CompanyB]

I have the European one started, so I'll see about getting that one done.  In the meantime, I may get this one some cars that are compatible with Brigade's Chicago Gangsters.  Maybe a box car for it along with the passenger car and some other goodies.

-Brent

[carlos marighela]

Cheers Brent! I think I would probably go with OO as it's the cheapest and most readily available track here and this is something of an indulgence not a full blown Orient Express, adenoids and clip board, 'Was that the 3.54 out of Waterloo?' type obsession with me.

I could have laid my hands on some pre-moulded plastic track complete with embabkment when my son was still obsessed with Thomas the Sodding Tank Engine but I suspect that's all gone now. No idea what gauge that was anyway.